The top five herbal teas and their health benefits

Jun 11, 2014

We love herbal teas, and not just because they make us feel like we’re being super health, even after eating a massive bag of sweets at lunch.

Here are just a few of our favourite herbal teas:

Green tea
Green tea is an old favourite and there are plenty of reasons as to why. It is great if you’re on a detox and it’s full of antioxidants. It’s also meant to help with weight loss because it induces a thermogenic effect, which means the body gives off more heat and uses more calories at rest. Sounds good to us!

Chamomile tea
This tea is great for if you’ve had a stressful day and just need to unwind. It can also relieve bloating and indigestion.

Ginger tea
If your stomach is a bit upset, there’s nothing like a cup of ginger tea to ease the nausea. It’s also meant to have some anti-inflammatory effects, and if you add a slice of lemon and some honey it’s great for warding off a cold.

Peppermint tea
Peppermint is a digestive aid and has been used to treat irritable bowel syndrome. It’s also nice if you want something refreshing.

Dandelion tea
This one is great for relieving constipation and diarrhoea. It also enhances detoxification by stimulating urination and replacing the potassium lost in the process.

10-second stress busters to keep you feeling mellow

May 20, 2014

by Amber Saunders

The millions of thing we’ve got going on can leave us all feeling like big balls of stress – and that can wreak serious havoc on our health.

But you don’t need to turn your life inside out to beat the effects of stress.

These quick and easy natural solutions can help you stay mellow in a crazy world.

Have a cuppa
Black tea has been shown to have an effect on stress hormone levels in the body. Tea contains catechins, polyphenols, flavonoids and amino acids that affect your brain’s neurotransmitters and ultimately reduce blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Go nuts
Next time you feel a bit cracked up, forgo the junk food and snack on some nuts instead. Nuts are typically high in tryptophan and magnesium, two key nutrients that support serotonin production. And almonds are especially high in stress-busting B vitamins, zinc, vitamin E and antioxidants.

Rub your ears
According to Ayurveda, India’s 5,000-year-old ‘science of life,’ there are ‘marma’ points – like acupuncture points – in the ears that correspond to the various parts of the body. Rub the circumference of each ear, right hand on right ear and left hand on left ear, to instantly ease tension.

Take a sniff
Aromatherapy has calming effects that can tame the tension in no time. Proven stress-reducing aromas include lavender, lemon balm, chamomile and geranium. Place a few drops of essential oils on cotton balls and have a sniff of the lovely fragrance.

Strike a pose
When we get stressed, we tend to tense up and cave our chest in. Try folding your hands as if in prayer behind your back, then pulling your shoulders back, tilting your head back and breathing deeply.

Miranda Kerr shuts down all of the rumours with THIS picture

Celebrity

May 16, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Former Victoria’s Secret model, Miranda Kerr has been in Australia for the last week promoting her new tea cup collection for Royal Albert Australia.

It had been said previously by Miranda’s family that they were very hurt that they had not seen her, nor her three year-old son, Flynn, in over a year.

Her mother, brother and grandmother even went on a TV show and publicly appealed to Miranda to contact them and to bring Flynn to Australia.

However, the young mother has now shut down the rumours by posting many photos of her family on her Instagram account recently, including one of her and her grandmother, captioned: “Tea for two with my nan.”

We’re glad to see that Miranda and her family have now worked everything out, as they had always seemed so close-knit.

Banana Bread

Apr 9, 2014

by Amber Saunders

When there are bananas about to go off, it can be a difficult decision to throw them away.

You may not have gotten around to eating them (good intentions and all of that) but you don’t want to waste them either.

Well, why not throw together a delicious banana bread?

This recipe makes a moist and tasty cake that will go perfectly with a cup of tea.

What you’ll need:

240g plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
110g butter
200g light brown sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs
4 ripe bananas, mashed
60ml buttermilk
1 tsp cinnamon
Handful of walnuts, chopped

What you’ll need to do:

Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a loaf tin.
In a bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and cinnamon.
In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together.
Add the eggs one at a time and combine well.
Stir in the mashed bananas.
Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix. Try not to over-mix as the cake will be heavy.
Bake the cake for about an hour or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and a cup of tea.

Homemade rhubarb and ginger jam

Mar 24, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Rhubarb is in season – yaaay!

Who doesn’t love a sweet yet tart rhubarb pie or crumble with warm custard. So good.

This jam will be good on scones, toast, biscuits, everything!

What you’ll need:

500g fresh rhubarb, chopped roughly
500g jam sugar
Thumb-size fresh ginger, chopped finely
40g crystallised ginger, chopped finely

What you’ll need to do:

Wash and dry the rhubarb well.
In a bowl, combine the rhubarb, ginger and sugar.
Leave covered overnight.
Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil for about an hour, until it has thickened and the sugar is dissolved.
To test if the jam is at a suitable setting point, take a spoon and drop it on a cold plate. Leave it for a few minutes and if it wrinkles at a touch it is ready for jarring. If not, continue to cook until it is.
Ladle the jam mixture into previously sterilised jars, cover with a piece of wax paper cut to size and place the lid on.
Enjoy with a warm, buttery scone and hot tea. Perfection!

Orange-almond cake

Feb 3, 2014

by Amber Saunders

We all need a cake we can throw together for special occasions. This cake is gluten-free, making it perfect for those with intolerances, as well as being light and not too sweet. The perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee in the afternoon. It’s also quite easy to put together and doesn’t require too many ingredients.

What you’ll need:

3 oranges
4 eggs
220g caster sugar
300g ground almonds
2 tbsp honey

What you’ll need to do:

Grease an 8″ springform tin and line the bottom with baking parchment. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
Put 2 unpeeled oranges into a steamer or set in a sieve above a pot of previously boiled water, now simmering.
When the oranges have softened and broken down slightly but still retain their shape, remove.
Cut the oranges into smaller pieces, place in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Stir the almonds, eggs and sugar into the orange mixture and stir to combine.
Pour into the lined tin and bake for about 55 mins to an hour or until a skewer comes out clean.
Meanwhile, place the juice of the third orange into a small pan and add the honey. Heat to combine.
When the cake is out of the oven pour the warm orange and honey syrup over the cake.